The Artist's Muse

Chapter 3

Vernazza, Italy. July 25, 2006

Four centuries had not been enough to prepare Sebastian to leave his homeland and travel to Paris. Yet he could no longer stand idly by. His precious paintings had been away for more than a year to no reward. At the very least, he had to see them again.

And he knew it was time. That same pull he'd felt toward his sweet Muse from the moment they met in her first life had suddenly grown stronger overnight. Had she come closer? It was the only reason he could think of. Perhaps she had seen the paintings and come to find him!

He had to know. And while a horse carriage or ship were the travel choices he would feel most comfortable with, one was no longer an option and the other would be too slow. Humans these days traveled in cars, buses, and planes. He knew that much. But the thought of stepping into any of those metal beasts set his brain on fire with fear.

"But why? It isn't that you can die," Sebastian argued with himself as he again picked up the train ticket and held it up to the torchlight. Yes, a plane would certainly have been the fastest option. But a train kept him safely on the ground. It was the best compromise he could make with his terror.

He donned his leather cloak, his sunglasses, and tucked the train ticket into the pocket of his black jeans. The train left just after sunset, but arrived well after sunrise. It was going to be incredibly risky getting to the Louvre during the day, but as long as he kept his skin covered...he shouldn't begin to burn. Theoretically.

At least his travel to the train station would be safe enough. Sebastian picked up his bag and began climbing the stairs into the castle proper. The tether on his heart hummed and pulled as if it somehow knew he was headed in the right direction. He paused at the windows and peeked through the drawn curtain, nodding when he saw the final rays of the sun slipping behind the horizon.

And before he knew it, the vampire was seated in the rattling cabin of a train. Three other men slept around him to pass their overnight ride. Sebastian, on the other hand, remained wide awake and wound as tightly as the string of a violin.

The passage of the countryside was fascinating. "After all these years...I'm finally leaving my beloved Italy. As if I'm a modern man or something," he murmured, his cold breath leaving no fog on the window to which he pressed his nose. "And for what? The possibility that I might finally find her?"

He certainly hoped so. If he didn't find her in this life and mix new paints, would he ever be able to find her again? It wasn't likely. Her lineage had obviously left the homeland, and with all these modern modes of transportation, who knew how far they would go before she was again reincarnated! The very thought of having to search the entire globe filled him with deep darkness.

And so, despite none of them ever having answered his prayers before, Sebastian called upon any existing gods in the heavens. "Let me find her," he begged. "I cannot survive eternity without knowing I will eventually see her again. I'll go mad."

Paris, France. June 26, 2006

The same prayer passed his lips a thousand times before he finally reached Paris. Sun streamed through the glass and Sebastian had long since covered up completely. He could feel the stares of his fellow passengers, but after this many centuries of being a vampire, he was used to such things. As long as they only thought he was an eccentric dresser, he would be fine.

He tucked his bag under his arm and rose as the train ground to a halt. Silently, he waited for the other three men to leave the carriage before passing through the door himself and into the busy central passage of the train.